


market price

by Addison R (beyond_belief)



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Food as a Metaphor for Love, Gen, Minor Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, Post-Canon, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 00:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyond_belief/pseuds/Addison%20R
Summary: ThreeFour adults, out for dinner.





	market price

**Author's Note:**

  * For [labocat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/labocat/gifts).



"That," Anne says, immediately focusing on Eddie's right forearm in a way he'd both hoped she would and hoped she wouldn't, "is not a tattoo."

She gives him a look, the one that means _why didn't you tell me?_ , one that Eddie's gotten a lot over the last few years. Dan comes back from the coat check just in time to catch it, and look between Anne and Eddie, then down at Eddie's arms. "Wow, Eddie, didn't know you were so inked up."

 _What is Dan checking for in the coats?_ Venom asks. 

"It's a place you put your jacket, while you eat dinner at fancy restaurants," he mutters to Venom, and Anne's glare intensifies. "I'm sorry!" he says to her. "I just - didn't know how to tell you, I guess."

"Tell her what? I'm missing something here," Dan says, sliding his arm around Anne's shoulders. Under his shirt, Eddie feels a web of Venom do the same thing to him. 

Anne sighs, and her expression relaxes. "That we should have made the reservation for four, if you get my meaning."

Dan looks confused for a moment, then his eyebrows go up super fast. "Oh. _Oh._ "

"Oh, oh, yes," Eddie mutters, hunching a little. Dan took his jacket, so he doesn't have anything besides his jeans pockets to put his hands in. Fortunately, the hostess calls for them before he has to say anything else. Venom snakes down under Eddie's bracelets and winds through his fingers. _Eddie. What are we eating?_

"I'll find us something good, buddy," Eddie whispers back, flexing his fingers gently.

_Annie and Dan both know I am here, why are you being so quiet?_

"There's still other people." He coughs into his other hand, then sits down at the table. "Uh, thanks for the invitation, guys, this place looks really nice."

"It is," Anne says, handing him the menu he hasn't picked up. "No lobster tank, though."

"Funny," Eddie mutters, and Anne and Dan both smile. 

_I liked the ocean creature,_ Venom says. _Can we get that here, Eddie?_

"Well, we can't get it raw," Eddie whispers. Dan's mouth twitches visibly. Eddie opens the menu in a hurry so he can cover his face and not have to look at either of them. A tendril of Venom strokes over the hollow of his throat. "Stop, not here. Read the menu."

_What is oysters?_

"We're not getting oysters."

_Why not?_

"We're getting steak," Eddie whispers furiously, and puts the menu down.

Anne and Dan are both looking at him. "He wants oysters?" Anne asks.

"He doesn't even know what that is," Eddie replies, as calmly as he's able. 

"We could order some," Dan says, shrugging. Eddie feels a bit of the symbiote curl up over his shoulder and poke out the collar of his shirt. Venom is probably waving at Dan. Eddie closes his eyes and sighs. 

"It's fine, really," Dan adds, just as a server comes by to take their drink order. Eddie gets a beer. Dan and Anne both get fancy-sounding cocktails, all while looking like they're trying not to keep an eye on him. 

Dan's worse at hiding it than Anne. "So uh, Eddie, what have you been doing lately?"

_Cleaning up this city, one criminal at a time._

"Been writing for some online outlets," Eddie replies instead. "Crime reporting, mostly. Venom's been watching a lot of dramatic television."

_I have not!_

"Interviewed that serial killer out at San Quentin, you know. People really read that one." He unrolls the silverware from the napkin it's wrapped in so that he can fiddle with the fork. "What about you guys, huh? And Mr. Belvedere?"

"Mr. Belvedere is fine."

Venom slides down to wrap around Eddie's wrist in full view of both Anne and Dan, and says, _Tell Annie that I will eat the cat for her when she no longer wishes to own it._

"No!" Eddie whispers. "We're not going to do that."

"Do what?" Dan asks. He takes his drink from the server, then looks expectantly at Eddie. 

Eddie grabs his beer and drinks a third of it in one go. "Our friend offered to eat the cat."

Dan looks sort of scandalized, in Eddie's view, but Anne starts laughing. "I know he offers out of love," she says, and Eddie enjoys Dan's even more confused expression. 

_Eddie. I did not see before now that Dan has an interesting face._

"Ssh," Eddie breathes.

_You agree. I am inside your head. I know._

"Everyone ready to order?" Dan asks, and that distracts Venom from looking at Dan's face as he starts asking Eddie if everything Dan's ordering is good to eat. 

"Uh, the ribeye, please," Eddie recovers enough to say to the server once he realizes everyone's looking at him expectantly. "Rare."

Venom enjoys the oysters more than Eddie does, while Anne and Dan both laugh at the disgusted face Eddie makes slurping them from their shells. The steak is better. Before, he'd have preferred it to be slightly more done, but in the absence of bad people to eat, Venom is very into all things that come from a cow. Eddie would complain that the symbiote is eating him out of house and home, except the bad people often have decent amounts of cash on them. He rationalizes taking it by handing out twenties to homeless folks on the way back to his apartment. 

"Can I ask you guys something, Eddie?" Dan asks. He's still working on his own steak and Eddie is very steadfastly ignoring the fact that Venom wants to lean over and snatch the rest of it off Dan's plate. 

"Sure, yeah." 

"I know you're -" Dan gestures with his fork, Eddie's not sure at what, "- with the overactive metabolism and all. I was wondering if maybe I could run some tests? Non-invasive, of course. For my own knowledge."

 _We like Dan,_ Venom says, and Eddie can feel his curiosity. He winds around Eddie's wrist again and squeezes lightly. _That would be… acceptable to us._

Eddie shrugs. "As long as there's no MRI, we're cool with that."

"Really?" Anne asks, leaning over her cocktail glass. It's her third, so she's probably tipsy. Her face is flushed. "Would - could I come along?"

"Sure, why not, let's make it a party." He drains his water glass, then eats the few bites of potatoes he has left. 

_What is in those potatoes? We like them. They are better than tater tots._

"Uh, probably butter," Eddie answers, not bothering to hide his response this time. 

"Bacon fat," Anne corrects. 

Eddie tells Venom, "Sorry, buddy, I'm not learning to cook for you," and both Dan and Anne grin at that.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays, labocat! I hope you enjoy this treat, and I think I have accidentally set up another story in this one that I'm also going to try to write - crossing my fingers!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [resting pulse](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17148398) by [Addison R (beyond_belief)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beyond_belief/pseuds/Addison%20R)




End file.
